THE INDY WINS BIG AT THE IPA PRESS AWARDS! SEE P3 THEINDYPENDENT Issue #62, December 22, 2004 – Januray 11, 2005 • a free paper for free people Invisible Soldier Iraq vets are landing on the streets. More are on the way. SEE PAGE 4 ; ©ANDREW STERN/ANDREWSTERN.NET ANTRIM CASKEY UGANDA PEACE ON ONE SMALL CORNER PATRIOT ACT II OF EARTH BIG PAGE 8 BROTHER JUST GOT THE ONLY BIGGER MUSICIAN PAGE 5 THAT MATTERED indypendent.org PAGE 10 PREACHING THE GOSPEL OF REVOLUTION BY KIERA BUTLER On the third Sunday of NEW YORK CITY advent, the Reverend Earl INDEPENDENT Kooperkamp told his The gregarious Reverend Kooperkamp remains animated after the 10a.m. service, as he MEDIA CENTER congregation at St. Mary’s runs off to a vestry meeting. Below Left: Reverend Kooperkamp succors a parishioner, Episcopal Church to go. and they’re both left laughing. PHOTOS: ANTRIM CASKEY Phone: 212.684.8112 “Go. Scram. Get outta here,” he said, flick- When Reverend Kooperkamp became pas- come out when he pronounces the name of Email: ing his hand at the 30 or so congregants in tor of St. Mary’s Church four and a half years the city where he grew up. “Low-ville,” he [email protected] the pews. ago, he knew he wanted to continue the tra- says for Louisville, Kentucky. He remembers Actually, he was (very loosely) quoting dition of community activism. going to church with his family during the Web: Jesus Christ. Christ, Kooperkamp explained, Shortly after the terrorist attacks of Vietnam War; it was during that time that he NYC: www.nyc.indymedia.org was always telling people to “go.” To go September 11, 2001, Kooperkamp hosted the realized that he wanted to be a pastor and GLOBAL: www.indymedia.org spread his teachings. To go fight injustice. founding meeting of Not in Our Name, a that he didn’t want to fight in the war. After Office and Mail: To go sit in church on Sunday, Kooperkamp group that demonstrates against what he calls graduating from Hampshire College, he said, was not enough. “the American war machine.” He also led the enrolled in Union Theological Seminary in NYC Independent Media Center St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, a gothic-style church to support the Peace Tax Fund Bill, Morningside Heights. 34 E. 29th St. 2nd Floor cathedral nestled among public housing com- which would allow conscientious objectors In the early 1980s while he was in semi- NY, NY 10016 plexes, delis and a police station, stands on not to pay war tax. Congregants meet at St. nary, Kooperkamp wasn’t sure he was in the 126th Street between Broadway and Mary’s to fight against the death penalty, to right place. He had been listening to punk WHAT IS INDYMEDIA? Amsterdam Ave. Founded in 1823, it is the preserve immigrants’ rights and to keep pub- rock for a while, and he remembered the With autonomous chapters in more second oldest church in Harlem, and it was lic housing in Harlem safe. night he saw the Ramones live in an acousti- than 100 cities throughout the world, the first “free pew” church; congregation And St. Mary’s hosts more than just church cally perfect auditorium as one of the high- the Independent Media Center is an international network of volunteer members never had to pay to worship. groups. lights of his life. Sometimes, he looked media activists. “It’s a base area for all kinds of social and around at his fellow seminarians and sus- The IMC seeks to create a new political activity, all the way from Hillary pected he might not fit in. media ethic by providing progressive, Clinton coming here to meetings about revo- But as he saw leaders like renowned scholar in-depth and accurate coverage of lution,” said Phil Farnham, 71, as he distrib- Cornel West preaching radical politics, he issues. We are a community-based uted fliers for the New York City chapter of began to realize religion was “one of the most organization using media to facilitate the Revolutionary Communist Party, which subversive things on earth.” political and cultural self-represen- meets at the church. The past few years have been a trying time to tation. We seek to analyze issues “The things that we move against at St. be a socially liberal pastor. Kooperkamp has affecting individuals, communities Mary’s are the imperial institutions,” said watched conservatism increasingly dominate and ecosystems by providing media Kooperkamp. “I believe that the Christian the religious community. When conservative tools and space to those seeking to communicate. We espouse open dia- religion is based on freedom.” leaders co-opt radical language, he is outraged. logue and placing the means of com- Kooperkamp, 48, lists among his major He remembers listening to the Reverend munication and creativity back in the regrets in life never having seen the Clash Richard Land, a Southern Baptist leader, hands of the people, away from the play live. He is slight with brown hair and comparing the fight against abortion to the drive of profit. light blue eyes. While he’s preaching, he abolitionist movement. The Indypendent is funded by bene- moves constantly. “To couch the anti-abortion movement in fits, subscriptions, donations, grants According to Kooperkamp, approximately that kind of language is to knock down the and ads from organizations and indi- three-quarters of the 175-member congrega- liberation women have been able to achieve,” viduals with similar missions. tion are African-American, and the remain- Kooperkamp said. WHAT CAN I DO TO GET INVOLVED? ing quarter are white and Hispanic. Some And in New York City, some people equate The IMC has an open door. You can members are Columbia professors, and others “Christian” with “fundamentalist” or even, write for The Indypendent, film events are homeless. Kooperkamp says, “crazy.” and rallies, self-publish articles to But Kooperkamp said it wasn’t hard for “These people that think it’s wacko, they the web, take photos or just help us members to find common ground. don’t know the half of it,” said Kooperkamp. run the office. As an organization “We have something in common, which is “To have a sister or brother say ‘I’m praying relying on volunteer support, we that we live in West Harlem,” he said. for you,’ when you’re struggling – it’s an encourage all forms of participation. The last traces of Kooperkamp’s drawl amazing gift of grace.” The print team reserves the right to edit articles for length, content and clarity. We welcome your participation in the entire editorial process. WHERE DO I GET MY COPY OF VOLUNTEER STAFF: Chris Anderson, Silvia Arana, Caitlin THE INDYPENDENT? A FREE PAPER FOR FREE PEOPLE Benedetto, Bennett Baumer, Jed Brandt, BELOW 14TH ST. 14TH TO 96TH ST. Coogan’s Bar Freddy’s Bar and Backroom QUEENS BRONX Kazembe Bulagoon, Mike Burke, Leigh 169th St. & Broadway Dean St. & 6th Ave. Ann Caldwell, Antrim Caskey, Ellen Bluestockings Revolution Books Sunnyside Library Bronx Museum Books & Café 9 W. 19th St. Fort Washington BAM 43-06 Greenpoint Ave. 165th St. & Grand Concourse Davidson, Terence Dignon, Shea Dean, Bakery & Deli 30 Lafayette Ave. Ryan Dunsmuir, Ari Edelkind, Miguel Erb, 172 Allen St. Chelsea Sq. Diner 808 W. 181st St. East Elmhurst Library The Point Chiam Garcia, Alfredo Garzon, Adam 23rd St. & 9th Ave. Community Book Store 95-06 Astoria Blvd. 940 Garrison Ave. Times Up! Jumpin’ Jalapenos 7th Ave. & Carroll Sts. Gerber, Neela Ghoshal, Lauren 49 E. Houston St. Second Wave W. 207th St. Jackson Heights Library JERSEY CITY THE INDYPENDENT Giambrone, David Gochfeld, Maggie Laundrocenter (between B’wy & Vermillya) Tea Lounge 35-51 81st St. Gram, A.K. Gupta, Ruth Kelton, Amelia H. Lotus Café 55th St. & 9th Ave. Union St. @ 7th Ave. Five Corners Public Library Cafe Seven Friend’s Tavern 678 Newark Ave. Clinton & Stanton Sts. 9th St. @ 7th Ave. Krales, Ida Lake, Renee Leonowicz, F. Ziggies 7 Henshaw St. 78-11 Roosevelt Ave. Timothy Martin, Edgar Mata, Nik Moore, Atlantis Super Laundry Key Foods 94th St. & 2nd Ave. Lydia Neri, Ana Nogueira, Donald Paneth, BROOKLYN Center Langston Hughes Library Ave. A & E. 4th St. 100-01 Northern Blvd. James Powell, Derq Quiqqle, Shawn ABOVE 96th ST. Tillie’s of Brooklyn 472 Atlantic Ave. Redden, Frank Reynoso, Maximus May Day Books at Labyrinth Books 248 Dekalb Ave. Photoplay Video Café Aubergine Help Santos, Ann Schneider, Sheba Sethi, Theater for the New City 536 W. 112th St. Green Apple Café 933 Manhattan Ave. 49-22 Skillman Ave. Andy Smenos, Tim Sparkman, Andrew 155 First Ave. 96th St. Library 110 Dekalb Ave. Verb Cafe Sunnyside Library distribute Stern, Catriona Stuart, Sarah Stuteville, (between 9th & 10th Sts.) 112 E. 96th St. Marquet Patisserie Bedford Ave. & N. 5th St. 43-06 Greenpoint Ave. Maggie Suisman, John Tarleton, Liz 680 Fulton St. Housing Works Kim’s Books Jane Doe Books Tupelo Bar Tillotson, Leanne Tory-Murphy, Rhianna 113th St. & Broadway 93 Montrose Ave. 35th St. & 34th Ave. the Indy! 126 Crosby St. Halcyon Tyson, Matthew Wasserman, Steven 227 Smith St. Strictly Roots Restaurant Make the Road Book Value DECEMBER 22, 2004 – JANUARY 11, 2005 Wishnia, Amy Wolf call 212.684.8112 LGBT Center 123rd & Adam Clayton Moda Cafe by Walking Broadway between 2 213 W. 13th St. Powell 294 5th Ave. 301 Grove St. 33rd & 34th Sts. Witch-hunt Targets CHAOS AT CASA DEL SOL Police (right) look on as a pair of protest- Columbia Prof ers drop a banner from the top of Casa del Sol during a Dec. 12 protest. Moments later, police attacked a crowd BY CHRIS ANDERSON icize Israeli foreign policy.” of about 60 people who had gathered Since the harassment charges were made s Columbia University students begin public, Massad has received numerous pieces of outside the long-time community center.